Dates
by fooboo24
Summary: After a few months of playing around their growing feelings, the boys finally decide to do something about it and ask the girls out... Mako/Korra, Bolin/Asami. Makorra. Bosami. Sequel to "Strategies". Legend of Korra.


**Disclaimer: **I do not own LoK. But, God, I wish I did. XD

**Author's Notes:** This is a sequel to my other Makorra/Bosami fic, "Strategies". You don't have to read that one first to get this one, I think!

~P~

_Dates_

~P~

Mako was trying his damnedest to not pay attention to the perverted leader of the Wolfbats leering at Korra, but he just couldn't. Every few practice punches he threw, he was looking over his shoulder and observing the scene with an obvious glint in his amber irises. Tahno was standing off to the side of the training room with the rest of his group, sending Korra hungry looks as he watched her spar with Bolin, however, she didn't seem to notice, or she was just ignoring him. It was sick, and it was annoying the Firebender to no end – for more than one reason than the fact that it was completely inappropriate. He hated that Tahno's mind was racing with such _thoughts _about his girl – or who he considered _his _girl – about Korra.

Though Mako had tried to deny it to himself on several occasions, he felt quite strongly about the Avatar. At first, she had irritated him endlessly, but after they went to rescue him brother together, they began to get along better, and from there it was history. At remembering rescuing his brother, Mako was reminded of another event that happened around that time – their kiss. Well, almost-kiss, that is. It had been a charged moment, full of passionate and overwhelming emotions. They were quiet and close, but before anything could happen, Mako was reminded of Bolin and his urgency to find him, and broke away, and at that, they had left each other. After that had occurred, the two hadn't talked any about it once.

Mako felt odd about being the first to bring it up, and so he hadn't said anything. Much to his chagrin, Korra hadn't said anything to him about since, either. It bothered him, but his ego wasn't allowing him to talk to her about it first, and so for the last two months, the pair had interacted as though nothing had happened. And every day, Mako regretted it. He wanted something with her, but his pride was preventing that.

"Why so distracted, tigerdillo?"

Mako heard a voice from beside him, and snapped back to reality to see Asami standing beside him, an amused smirk on her face, hands on her hips. Sighing heavily, he relaxed and turned to her. "Nothing," he lied, before shooting another look in Korra's direction.

Asami's smile grew and she rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. Then why do keep looking at Korra every five seconds?"

Mako gave her a steely look, crossing his arms, trying to seem as though he didn't know what she was talking about. She raised an eyebrow amusedly at him, and he shook his head. "I don't like the way that ass, Tahno, is looking at her, is all."

Her eyes flashed, unimpressed by his answer. Sighing, she dropped her hands and walked over to him, placing one of them on his shoulder. "Look, Mako, I know you like Korra. But you can't just stand around, doing nothing and getting jealous. Take initiative, ask her out."

He blinked incredulously at the non-bender, feeling his cheeks flame. Well, so much for subtlety. "Asami, I—"

"No excuses, Firebender! Go on, ask her!" Asami pointed at Korra, who was chatting with his brother now. He blinked at her again and then over at the Avatar. He saw Tahno again, who was nodding at his friends. A few seconds later, he was slicking back his hair and making his way over to Korra, and that's when Mako's resolve for ignoring his feelings broke. Smiling at Asami, he nodded at her, which she returned, before jogging over to Korra.

He arrived at his friend a few moments before Tahno did, and he glared at the other Firebender. "Korra," he huffed, and she turned around to him, and smiled brightly. Bolin stood behind her, giving his brother a questioning look, something in his green eyes flickering.

"Hey, Mako," she said, peering up at him. "What is it?" Mako stared into her blue eyes and felt his breath hitch in his throat, but when he heard Tahno snigger at his side, he quickly pressed on with his question.

"Would you like to go out with me later?" he asked, and waited impatiently for her answer. He saw his brother blink from behind her, before giving him a thumbs up.

He saw her eyes light up, and she nodded. "S-sure," she breathed, her cheeks tinting pink as she tried to contain her large smile. She pulled a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'd love to, Mako."

The Firebender smiled, looking away and rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Great... so, uh, l-later tonight?"

She nodded. "I'll meet you at the entrance?"

"Okay," he blushed. He gave her another adorable smile, and turned around to return to practicing at the other side of the room. However, before he could take a step, he felt a tap on his shoulder from behind him. Upon turning to acknowledge Korra again, she leaned up and kissed his cheek gently, before going red and walking away from him hastily.

Mako blinked in her direction, before grinning widely. He turned around triumphantly again, and noticed Tahno standing there, eyebrow twitching at the scene that had just taken place in front of him. Mako smirked at him before returning to Asami.

Though Asami knew that Korra had agreed, she still gave him a look and asked, "So, what did she say?"

Mako directed his grin to her, and whispered happily, "She said yes."

"Told ya, Firebender! She's got the hots for you, too!" Asami punched his arm lightly. She looked over in the direction of the Avatar, but instead of eyeing Korra, her eyes locked on the Earthbender beside her. She blinked at the laughing boy, feelings her cheek heat up just slightly as she thought about asking him out, as well.

Mako noticed where the non-bender was staring, and smirked again before returning to his previous training. "I think you should take your own advice."

Asami side-glared at him, but knew he was right. However, the raven-haired girl's pride didn't allow herself to admit this, just like with Mako, and she rolled her eyes instead, crossed her arms and left the now-distracted Firebender to his practice, considering the possibility of asking out his brother the entire time.

~P~

Bolin blinked in the direction of the raven-haired non-bender, who was sitting a few yards away, watching him Earthbend some discs into a net. She smiled when she noticed him staring at her, and he blushed, turning away and returning to his previous actions. His heart was beating erratically, and just knowing that she was scrutinizing his every move caused for his usually light stance to stiffen up considerably.

The Earthbender didn't know what was going on – he had _never _felt so self-conscious about a girl before. Normally, Bolin knew exactly what to expect when he took interest in a lady – it was all easy for him, he was a natural ladies' man. He was suave and confident and funny and none of it was difficult – not the flirting or wooing - for him, so why was now any different? Why, when he looked at Asami, did he turn away in embarrassment and feel his cheeks flame up? _He _was supposed to cause this reaction in girls, not vice versa!

He had liked her for a while now. When she first began to watch their practices, it was just an innocent physical attraction. Bolin found her attractive, and who wouldn't? She was bloody gorgeous, and she knew it and didn't deny it. She was a fighter herself, too, and intelligent to boot. And while she talked to him and paid him some mind, the person she spent the most time with was Mako. She would giggle at things that his brother would say and the Firebender would entertain her by showing her his formidable fighting skills. And it made Bolin jealous, to be honest. This was something the Earthbender hated – he had never had ill thoughts towards Mako before, and so to be downright jealous of him was a more than a bit offputting.

Bolin knew that his brother had strong feelings for Korra, but still, he couldn't help but frown and glare when he saw Asami step a little closer to the Firebender. Despite the fact that Mako had no interest in the non-bender, Bolin felt hostility for him because he was garnering the affections of a woman he didn't he even like, while his brother did. He hated the fact that his crush had grown into true, blossoming feelings for this girl and she wouldn't even give him the time of day – he hated the fact that the girl he was falling for was interested in his _brother_, of all people.

But what he hated even more than this and his inability to be his usual expressive, charming self, was the fact that he felt the looming nag of status in the back of his mind and heart. It was evident what people would think if something were to start between them, which he was pretty sure wouldn't even happen anyhow. _The rich girl and the poor street boy_. It wouldn't work – it wasn't destined to. Stories like that always ended up with the pair being torn apart, and Bolin didn't think he'd be able to handle it. It wasn't fair. He could only imagine how humiliated and ashamed Asami would be if he were to confess his feelings to her, and how the press would have a field day.

Biting his lip, the Earthbender shook his head, clearing his mind so he could try to focus on bending the discs again, but to no avail. Out of his peripheral vision, he saw Asami stand up from her perch and walk a bit closer to him.

"Something wrong, Bolin?" she asked. "You just sort of... stopped."

Bolin shook his head again and turned around, flashing a sheepish smile at her. "Naw, I'm fine," he lied, waving her off. Asami smiled at him again – and there went his heart thumping away – and returned to her seat at the side, eyeing him closely.

Despite his usual flustering about when around her, Bolin had entertained the idea – on more than one occasion – of going against everything he had thought previously and just asking her out. He knew he couldn't keep denying his feelings for her, and when Bolin really liked a girl, he asked her on a date. But still... this wasn't just _some _girl to the Earthbender. He genuinely cared about her.

At that, Bolin looked across the gym to see his brother talking to Korra. They were standing closely, touching more than they normally would. The Earthbender remembered to earlier that day – when Mako had asked the Avatar out. It was unusual of the Firebender to be so straightforward. Sure, Bolin had prompted him multiple times to go for it, but he never did. He applauded his brother's courage – he didn't like to take risks, so this was a step in a positive direction for Mako. But Bolin also remembered being just the slightest bit jealous, too. Mako had been talking to Asami before the event had taken place, and had sent his brother a look that he had caught. But as soon as Bolin realized why he brother had approached him and Korra, he had relaxed and egged him on. The memory made Bolin mentally berate himself for his immature envy.

But the moment was replaying in the Earthbender's head for a different reason – Mako's unusual strike of impulsiveness. For once, he had taken control of the situation and asked Korra out, which ended with positive consequences for the Firebender. Bolin had always been one for making the first move on a girl, but with Asami, he could barely bring himself to start a conversation with her. He figured, though, if his brother – of all people – could rack up the courage to ask out Korra, why couldn't Bolin just ask Asami out? The worst she could do was reject him, and despite being a ladies' man, Bolin could handle rejection. In fact, if she did, it just might help him get over this ridiculous crush he had on her.

And so that's what he told himself as he looked back over at Asami and then made his decision, walking over to her. If she said no, then that was okay, he could use this to get over her – but in the bottom of his heart, he knew this wasn't true. And if she said yes, then all the better! If this was the case, and if something came of it all, then they could work through it all together. Bolin would fight for her!

Pushing back all his insecurities from before and finding some of his usual confidence, he stopped in front of her and smiled charmingly. "Hey, Asami," he started, sitting beside her.

"Hi, Bolin," she greeted him, and they sat there for a short bit, enjoying the other's presence. Bolin caught her staring at Mako and Korra, who were giving each other Firebending tips, albeit flirtatiously. She sighed at the pair, before turning to him. "They're adorable, aren't they?" Bolin nodded at her. It was true – he was proud of his brother for finally taking initiative of his feelings and asking Korra out. Maybe now he wouldn't have to listen to Mako's love struck sighs every time she visited their apartment.

"Yeah," he smiled in their direction. "They are." They sat there for a little while longer, before Bolin could no longer take it, and he turned to her. "Asami, I, uh, was wondering if you'd like to go on a date with me sometime?" he blurted out, giving her a sheepish grin.

He saw her eyes go wide, and her cheeks go bright red, like Korra's did when Mako asked. He felt the imminent rejection seep into skin when a few moments passed when she didn't say anything, but then she uttered excitedly, "Yes!" All of the non-bender's stoic composure flew out the window at Bolin's asking – finally, after weeks of waiting, he asked her out! Throwing her arms around him in a loose hug, she repeated herself, "Yes, Bolin!" When she noticed that a few of the gym's occupants, including Mako and Korra, were looking at her because of her sudden outburst, she straightened herself out again and sat down calmly. Smiling coyly, cheeks flushed, she nodded at him.

Bolin blinked, feeling his heart beat wildly in his chest, and a large grin spread across his features. He had to suppress a loud whoop, and instead settled for, "Really?"

Asami laughed, controlled but sweet. Nodding again, she said, "Of course, Bolin. I was starting to think you'd never ask me out!"

Bolin raised his eyebrows at this – so she knew? She had suspected his feelings? Or that meant she had previous feelings for him, too... whatever – she had agreed! Elatedly, he asked, "When would you like to go out?"

"Well, your brother's going to be with Korra tonight, so why don't we go out a little later, too?" she turned her head slightly at the question, waiting for his answer.

Bolin nodded eagerly. "Sounds great!" He stood up then, his hand brushing her shoulder, causing her to blush again. "Just you wait, Asami!" he smiled, "you're going to go on a one-of-a-kind date!"

"I can't wait," she said, turning away sheepishly. Tugging on a piece of her long, curly hair, she stood up then and made to go in the direction of Korra – she had some serious gushing to do with the Avatar, despite the fact that she knew Korra wasn't really a girly girl. Turning back to him, she blushed again and smiled. "I'll see you in an hour or two, Bolin. I can't wait."

He stood there, trying his best not to stare at her dumbly. "See you, Asami." And at that, the non-bender made her way over the Korra and exchanging a few words with an annoyed Mako, the pair branched off from the Firebender and left the gym for the time being.

The entire time Bolin watched, feeling his head spin and his heart thump. He knew he wasn't getting over this crush anytime soon, that was for sure.

~P~

Mako stood outside the large entrance to the training room, arms crossed, just slightly exasperated. Asami had dragged Korra off about an hour beforehand and hadn't returned. He'd already taken a shower and cleaned himself up, and now he was waiting – for nearly a half-hour, mind you – for the other half of his party. He was about to go check the Pro-bending arena himself for the girl, when from behind him he heard her voice.

"Hey!"

He turned, and saw her dressed in her regular clothing instead of her training garb. He smiled, his annoyance dropping at the sight of her. "Hey," he said back, walking closer to her. She stopped in front of him, and leaned on the wall beside her. "So, where did you want to go for this date of ours? I've got a few ideas, but I thought I'd ask you..."

"I thought about it, and honestly," she looked up at him, "I kind of just want to stay here. We could just have dinner or whatever upstairs and then kind of spend some, uh, time alone up there. What do you think? I know you don't get a lot of time here by yourself, so..."

Mako smiled at the idea – he hadn't thought of it, but he liked it. It would allow the pair some privacy, something they wouldn't get if they went out on the town. He didn't like the idea of their time together getting interrupted by some nosy paparazzi, so the idea sat well with him. "Sounds good to me," he nodded. "We won't get bothered up there." Korra raised an eyebrow at him, and he felt his cheeks heat up. "N-not that I expect anything to happen, that is, I j-just—"

"Calm down, Mako," she laughed, though she was blushing, too. "I understand."

Mako breathed in and out deeply, before smiling at her and motioning his head in the direction of his attic apartment, she followed him. They walked in amiable silence, and when Korra caught Mako's hand in hers, he almost stopped his steady pace, but instead caught himself and continued. It took a few moments, but he intertwined their fingers and held her hand back, which Korra smiled at.

A few more minutes passed before they arrived at the doorway, and after messing around with his set of keys, the Firebender eventually got the door open. From there, they made dinner together, though Mako did most of the work considering Korra was more than a little bit useless in a kitchen. The pair ate the meal with friendly conversation, regaling past adventures, future Pro-bending matches, and just other, random things. Mako, despite always being so intensely focussed, had to admit he sort of enjoyed the aimlessness of their talk – it was relaxed and each topic ended with both laughing.

Upon finishing dinner, they cleaned up haphazardly. Mako thought for a short bit, while washing up, about what he wanted to do next, and when he finally figured it out, he smiled brightly. Putting the last dish away, he pulled his gloves back on before turning to her. "Next segment of our date," he directed his smile at her, and took her hand again. He showed her out the door and down a few flights of stairs, before arriving at another doorway, and pulling her into it, they began to climb even more stairs. Korra began to grow impatient, but he assured her that it was worth it. About halfway up the staircase, Mako stopped her and removing his scarf, he wrapped it around her eyes, obscuring his vision.

"Mako," she said in a warning tone. "What are you doing?"

"Trust me, Korra," he told her quietly, and she did. Taking her hand again and leading her up the staircase the last little bit, they stopped again, and Mako pulled her closer to the window. Standing behind her, he slowly removed the scarf, pulling it back around his neck as he did so.

Korra's eyelids fluttered open, and her eyes took in the gorgeous view. It included Air Temple Island, the colossal statue of Avatar Aang, and the glowing waters of Yue Bay. She gasped a bit. "Mako, it's beautiful," she whispered, and he placed a hand on her hip, pulling her back against his chest.

"I know," he nodded behind her, and she could feel his warm breath on her neck. "This is my favourite place in the entire arena. I come here when I need to just be alone and think."

Korra's hands rested on the ledge, and Mako's left one sat upon hers. The Avatar craned her neck up and she smiled at him, before looking back at the view. A comfortable silence surrounded them, and they stood there blissfully for a substantial amount of time.

After a while, Korra's legs began to stiffen up from their immobile state, and she sat down on the ledge, turning to face the man before her. Smiling up at Mako, he kneeled down and leaned closer to her, feeling his heart beating wildly in his chest. Their foreheads were touching, and they were peering at each other with half-lidded eyes.

Korra knew what their actions were leading up to, but by some sort of twisted irony, their previous almost-kiss popped into her mind, interrupting that _current _one. Mako moved forward, to kiss her, but she pulled away and he gave her a confused look.

"Mako," she whispered, sending shivers down his spine. "I-I want to know... why didn't you talk to me after we saved Bolin?" She didn't like that she had broken up a rather nice moment between them, but the question had been killing her for some time now, and she wanted to know before she tried to kiss him again.

Mako pulled away from her, a blush arising on his pale cheeks. He hadn't expected her to bring up the question, but it was a valid one either way. Turning away, he pulled his hand threw his hair and answered, his tongue lead in his mouth, "To be honest, I thought _you _didn't want to talk about it, so I didn't say anything. Trust me, I wanted to... I wanted to figure out where we stood, but... I like to think I know now." He left out the bit about his pride being damaged if he was the one to bring it up first. He smiled sheepishly at his comment, and he heard Korra laugh a bit.

The Avatar looked up at the Firebender then, but he wouldn't meet her eye. Taking his hand, she yanked him down to her level again, and whispered into his ear, "You know, we could always try again..."

Mako blinked at her at this, before grinning a bit and complying with her suggestion. Both leaned in, and their lips met in a soft, simple kiss. Korra smiled against his mouth, and when they pulled back, they peered closely at each other.

Mako's eyes asked her an unspoken question, to which she answered by pressing her lips to his again. Mako wrapped his arms around her, and then Korra stood up in favour of being closer to him. When they pulled back again, they exchanged smiles before she took his hand and sat back on the ledge, pulling him beside her. The Firebender held her closer, using his warmth to ward off the cold of the night.

~P~

Bolin had been greeted by Asami upon walking out of the males' changing room. She was standing against the wall, arms crossed with her foot jittering up and down restlessly. Bolin studied her expression, and noticed that some of her features were either darker or highlighted, and he realized that some time when she had run off with Korra, she had touched up her light makeup. He didn't care if she wore makeup or not – she was gorgeous either way.

"Hey," he called to her softly, and she jumped a bit, as though she were daydreaming and had just been forced back into reality.

"Bolin," she nodded at him, a light blush tinting her cheeks. "Hi."

The Earthbender decided to speak his mind to the girl he adored so. "You look beautiful," he admitted, holding his arm out for her to take.

This only caused the non-bender's flush to intensify, and she slowly raised her arm so it rested around Bolin's. "Thank you."

He gave her a charming smile, and they walked down the corridor until they arrived at the door that would allow them to exit the massive arena.

As they walked, Asami couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, "So, what do you have planned for our date?" She fluttered her eyelashes at him, and at that question, Bolin felt nervous all over again.

He had thought about what they were going to do from the moment she had agreed. Ever since his brother and him had moved into the attic at the top of the arena, they had a little more space money-wise. Mako dealt with the money – he set out a general amount that would cover everyday things, and each got a small sum in which to do what they pleased. Mako just hoarded his in case something happened, and while Bolin was responsible with his share, he knew how to make the most of it. Over the past few months, Bolin had gone into a Mako-like state with his money, and began to preserve it. He didn't know why, but he figured it might have been his early suspicions that he'd be taking Asami out one of those days. Even a few months before, he felt as though his romantic intentions with her would be deemed unworthy, and so to help his odds, he had saved up for the possibility of a rather extravagant date. Mako would hate him for it, but this was his love life, not his brother's!

The Earthbender wouldn't mind going out and doing something he'd like – like going out for dinner at one of his favourite spots downtown – but he didn't know if Asami would appreciate this assumption, so he figured he'd just let her choose. Either way, he was prepared.

"Well, I thought of two things we could do – all you have to do is pick one out," he winked at her, before listing out his ideas. "We could go out to the upper limits and go for dinner there – I heard there's a new five or four star restaurant opening up out there tonight, and because we're friends with Korra and you're, you know, Hiroshi Sato's daughter, we probably get in there without any trouble." He searched her face after he voiced his first suggestion, and to his surprise, instead of it lighting up out of agreement, she simply wrinkled her nose and shook her head microscopically. "Orrrr... well, there's this place called Hiro's downtown, and, in my honest opinion, they make the best sushi in all of Republic City! It's a little off the beaten path, though..." He was sure that at this, she would immediately opt for the first idea, but instead, her grip on his arm tightened and she smiled brightly.

"Let's go with the second option! It sounds way more fun, and that's what dates are all about, right?" She flashed him a grin, and after a few incredulous blinks, he returned it.

Beaming, he placed his hand over hers on his arm, and held the door open with the other as they left the arena. "Great! I promise, Asami, you're going to have the best time."

Asami leaned closer to Bolin then and placed a gentle, almost nonexistent peck on his cheek, causing his entire face to go red. He turned away and chuckled dumbly to himself, feeling odd to be so completely out of his natural element, yet finding that he didn't mind too much. He then heard Asami whisper, "I don't doubt that, Bolin..."

The pair walked to Hiro's instead of catching a taxi, spending the time chatting closely and basking in their companionship. Bolin relaxed the more he talked to her, and began to act more like he old, charming self, but instead of doing all the talking, Asami actually joined in, and he enjoyed their conversations. Despite the generous life she had enjoyed growing up, she was quite humble and didn't go off about it all that much. She was worldly, unlike how the newspapers tried to portray her. But Bolin knew that – but this time that he spent listening and talking with her only served to solidify his thoughts on her.

Upon arriving at Hiro's, they were seated at a booth, and no one paid the Sato heiress with the poor Pro-Bending boy any mind. Bolin knew this part of town like the back of his hand – there were some nasty characters around, but all in all, there were some really nice folks, too, and they didn't hassle the Earthbender.

Asami also noticed the lack of attention she was receiving, and enjoyed it. Usually, even if she just went downtown for a simple stroll in Republic Park, paparazzi would sometimes swarm her and ask annoying questions. What was she doing out and about by herself? Was she going to see a secret boyfriend? Was she sneaking off to see another Pro-Bending match? It never ended and she had begun to hate it. But here, in hustle and bustle of the city she loved, she was not subjected to it and she knew she could grow to like it very easily.

Just like she had with Bolin.

The two ordered dinner and talked amongst themselves, like Korra and Mako had. They laughed back and forth at jokes that were made, had good-spirited debates over touchy subjects, and just generally chattered about things going on in their lives, like upcoming Pro-Bending matches and such.

The entire time they talked and ate dinner, both couldn't stop smiling. They were completely and thoroughly enjoying themselves. After paying for the meal, the pair exited the quaint sushi shop and huddled down the street, the chill of the night drawing them closely to each other.

They toddled about for a short amount of time in amiable silence, and Bolin wondered if he should reveal the second part of the date – or what he hoped would be – to her. He could take her home right then, end the date on a sure fire positive note, or he could risk upsetting her by asking her if she wanted to go out dancing.

It was one of Bolin's favourite things to do – to just go out and dance. It helped him forget the struggles of the world, but it wasn't something he got to do often. He couldn't convince his brother to go, but found a good dance companion and partner in Korra. But because she was always either Airbending training or practicing for an upcoming match or ogling his brother, she didn't have a lot of time for it. And so consequently, Bolin would be forced to go all by his lonesome, which just wasn't the social Earthbender's style. And so was his eagerness for wanting to go with Asami that night, but if she said no to his offer, then so be it. He wasn't going to force her to.

But with how much she had seemed to enjoy Hiro's, he felt confident that she wouldn't reject it. "Hey, Asami," he turned to her slightly, but they continued walking.

"Hm?"

"Are you ready for the next part of our incredibly great date?" he flashed her a sparkling grin, and she nodded eagerly. "Dancing – if you want to, I'd like to take you out dancing."

Asami's dark eyes lit up. "I couldn't think of anything else I want to do more than go dancing with you, Bolin."

The Earthbender blushed furiously, but nodded. Raising their clasped hands into the air, he began to walk a little faster. "Then onward to the clubs!" Asami laughed from behind him, following along willingly, allowing him to lead the way.

~P~

Korra's half-lidded, relaxed eyes looked up when she felt the hair on her forehead lift slightly and then slump down. Her eyes landed on the young man who was sitting beside her, his head resting atop hers. His own eyes were closed shut, and he was breathing shallowly. She smiled a bit – he was exhausted, not bored. She knew that. He had being practicing from early, early morning until late evening, and then they had had their date together... she couldn't blame his drifting off. She was tuckered out, too, but at the same time, she wasn't quite done with their date yet. She rarely got times like this Mako, and she was going to milk it for all it was worth. Still, she didn't want to interrupt the snoozing Firebender in an insensitive way...

Craning her neck a bit, she pressed a smattering of light, butterfly-like kisses to his lips, successfully stirring him from his slight slumber. He blinked a few times, before responding back sleepily with a, "Hm?"

"Sleepyhead," she smiled, gripping his hand.

"I was not," he protested, "I was just resting my eyes." She rolled her own blue irises, but decided not to argue with him. It wasn't worth it. Stretching a bit, he draped his arm over her shoulder languidly and gave her a relaxed smile. "So," he murmured, "was there anything else you wanted to do on our uneventful date?"

"Hey, I've had fun just spending time with you," she countered. "Sure, maybe I'm not swinging around in a club with Bolin, but you're fun to hang out with, too, Mako. It's just a different kind of fun. It's... nice, spending time with you like this. You're usually so serious and broody – I like this side of you better. This," she took his hand and squeezed it, "this is more personal, I think."

"Going philosophical on me, now?" he joked, but he was blushing a bit from her outward thoughts on him, "maybe you _are _connecting better with your emotions and the spiritual side of being the Avatar."

She swatted his arm lightly, knowing he was only making a joke. "Oh, don't spoil this."

He laughed a bit, before leaning closer to her. "I'll try. But... thank you, Korra. Despite the fact that you're loud and irritating sometimes... you're special to me, and I enjoy our times together, too. Besides, you wouldn't be you if you weren't speaking your mind half the time." Korra grinned, before leaning up and closing the small gap between them. She could feel the heat radiating off of his cheeks, causing her entire body to warm up as he pressed himself against her. This kiss lasted longer than any of the ones before, and when they parted, they were left slightly breathless.

Mako resisted a yawn as he asked, "So, like I asked, is there anything else you can think of that you'd like to do? I'm basically open for anything."

Korra looked around the small expanse, as though it held some kind of answer to his question. Then an idea popped into her head – sure, it was a tad unconventional considering the situation, but he asked her what she wanted to do, and that was what she wanted to do! Pulling away from him, he groaned in protest, and she stood up in the small space behind him. "We could... dance, I guess?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, "I'm basically open for anything _but _that. I don't dance, Korra, you know that. That's why I don't go out dancing with you and Bolin. And I really don't plan on majorly embarrassing myself in front of a girl I plan on starting a relationship with." Mako blushed as he realized his words, and Korra did, too.

Crossing her arms, she smirked at him. "C'mon, Mako!"

"There's not even any music to dance to, Korra," he made up an excuse.

Korra rolled her eyes – she knew he would make up any petty excuse to get out of this situation. But he had offered, and now he was in it, and he wasn't getting out of it until he complied with her. Then an idea struck her, and she pointed her finger at the staircase. "Don't you have a phonograph? I've seen it in your apartment – I can just go get that, can't I?"

Mako responded with, "Actually, I broke that thing a month ago. It was really old." Korra gave him a look. "No, seriously, I did. I may not dance, but I like music – I used to play that thing nearly every day until it busted. But whatever." Korra noticed that his tone seemed to distance off then, but didn't say anything about it.

"We don't need music, Mako, stop making excuses," she stepped forward, "just come and dance with me. And besides, _everyone _can dance."

"Korra..." he trailed, looking away. He didn't like disturbing the peace they had created, but she wasn't helping... He also didn't like that she had seen quite easily through his cover – he couldn't dance to save his life, but for the entirety of his existence he had passed off every offer with the simple excuse that he "didn't dance". But Korra being Korra, she easily saw through his already-flimsy lie.

Korra knew that just begging him to dance wasn't going to work – she had to use a tactic that would only work on Mako. So when an idea popped into her head, she grinned devilishly and stepped closer to him, tapping him on the nose teasingly. "Ah, I get it. Obviously, you're just afraid of embarrassing yourself."

It was the truth, but he wasn't going to let it show. Standing up and crossing his arms, he scowled at the girl. "Not true," he growled, stepping closer to her. Only the Firebender would want to prove that he wasn't afraid to embarrass himself by participating in the actions that would help him _embarrass himself_.

She walked up to him until they were flush against each other. Narrowing her eyes playfully, she whispered, "Prove it."

Mako being Mako took the challenge, and lacing his gloved fingers with her, held her closely and moved about awkwardly. Korra suppressed a laugh for his sake, before placing a hand on his chest. He stiffened, but then relaxed when she whispered, "Relax, Mister Hat Trick."

Despite the fact that she had challenged him and he had accepted said challenge, the pair was not at all competitive about their current actions. Instead, they stood closely, swaying about slowly. They whispered things to each other, causing the one to smile against the other's skin.

Korra's hands were draped across the Firebender's neck, and her hands brushed the hairs on the nape of his neck. Mako felt shivers go down each time her fingers brushed the sensitive hairs, and he in turn pulled her hips tighter against his with his hands, which were placed gently on the tan animal hide at her waist.

Noticing his reaction to her fingers unintentionally brushing at the tuffs, she began to intentionally play with them, and he leaned his forehead on hers. "You're a damn tease, you know that?"

"Yup," she smirked. His warm breath felt inviting against her lips, and she parted them as he captured them in a long kiss. She murmured something inaudible against the sensitive flesh, but it went unheard as the kiss deepened.

The pair stayed lip locked for an undeterminable amount of time, not that they really minded. When they finally pulled back for a much-needed breath, their lips were bright pink and their cheeks flushed. "And you think I'm a tease," she told him cheekily, tracing a random pattern over his heated cheeks.

He chuckled, bumping noses with her gently. He was about to say something, when she clutched his scarf and pressed her lips to his again, and he didn't protest. For two people who had just discovered their true feelings for each other a few hours before, they were quite fervent in their kisses... but he had felt that way about the Avatar for a long time now, so he didn't mind, and he knew she didn't either.

When they parted again, Korra finally began to succumb to her inevitable wave of exhaustion. Yawning loudly, Mako chuckled at her, before pulling away reluctantly and taking her hand. He saw her shiver a bit, and removed his scarf and put it around her neck, which she gratefully wrapped around her shoulders, though she preferred his body heat. "You know," a smile played at the corner of his lips, but his next few words were genuine, "we're both pretty tired. I think we should just call it a night."

Korra's half-lidded eyes drooped a bit, and she gave him a saddened look before saying, "Oh." She nodded at him then, and they walked out of the little area and down the staircase. When they got to the staircase that led up to Mako's apartment, Korra kissed him once more and was about to turn away when Mako placed a hand on her shoulder.

She blinked back at him, and the realized he probably wanted his scarf back. Bringing her hands up to her neck, she reluctantly began to remove it, when he spoke up.

"Hey. What are you doing?"

"Giving you your scarf back because I'm leaving and the date's ended?"

"Korra," he chuckled, pulling her into his arms again, and she immediately and happily resettled into his natural warmth. "I said we should end the date... I didn't say you had to go home." Korra blinked up at him with wide eyes. "It'd be an unpleasant trip back to Air Temple Island in the frigid water, and you're tired... just stay here... with me. I'm sure Tenzin won't mind..." She raised an eyebrow at him, and he smirked, "... too much."

A smile graced her lips, and she yawned again, which caused him to yawn, too. He made valid points... it wouldn't hurt to stay overnight at the brothers' place... Too tired to care to argue, and loving the idea of annoying Tenzin a bit, she nodded. "You're right – he shouldn't mind too much."

He took her hand then and they went upstairs again. They lit a few candles and made some tea, deciding to try to wind down and relax as much as possible before they retired to bed. They talked a bit and despite themselves, affectionate touches quickly took over their conversations, and before they knew it, Korra was wrapping Mako's scarf around his neck, as well, so they were pulled together by the red material. They exchanged soft words and kisses, and Korra was once again reminded about how few and far between these moments would be with the Firebender. This only pressed her further, and she pulled the boy closer with each passing second.

Eventually, after the candles were almost completely burned out and their tea long since finished, the sky now pitch black, tiredness clouding their young minds, did they decided to retire to bed. Mako undressed down to just his pants, and Korra had to stop herself from staring at his chest. The Avatar removed her boots and pelt from her waist and pulled her hair out of its holders. Mako himself had to keep himself from admiring her unrecognized beauty at her hair being down.

Mako climbed into his bed beside the small window, and upon throwing the light covers over himself, he eyes the slightly shivering girl across the room. She was padding about, looking at the ground awkwardly.

"What are you doing?" he questioned, amused.

"I, uh, where do I—"

He realized what she was trying to figure out, and was surprised she hadn't noticed it sooner. Lifting his covers back up, he revealed the space on his bed that was reserved for her. Korra blinked, and her cheeks went rosy as she pointed to the area. He nodded at her silent inquiry, and she scooted across the short expanse and climbed in beside him, thankful for his inner warmth against her back. He pulled his hand through her thick hair a few times, admiring its softness.

Giving into her evident exhaustion, Korra easily snuggled into his muscled, wiry frame, and didn't fidget when his arm draped across her stomach. Her body flooded with comfortable heat as he pulled her closer to him, kissing her temple gently and murmuring something inaudible before finally retreating into his own peaceful sleep.

She could hear his soft snores in her ear, and smiling, took his hand in hers, kissing the tips of each fingers before nodding off into her own slumber.

~P~

Bolin swung Asami across the floor, holding her in his arms and laughing boisterously. He was having so much fun it was indescribable! The large, unmistakable grin that covered Asami's featured proved she was, too.

They had been dancing for a long while then, and though they were filled with adrenaline at first, they were slowly beginning to tucker out. Breathing heavily, he took her hand and spun her out of the crowd of people, pulling her to the side where they could catch their breath.

"This—" she huffed, "—was such a great idea, Bolin. I don't think I've ever had so much fun, to be honest!" She wiped a bead of sweat off her forehead. "But," she frowned good-naturedly, "I think I'm beginning to fade a bit. I can't keep going forever, though I want to."

Bolin grinned, pulling a hand through his thick, dark hair. "Same," he panted. "We've been here for what, three hours now?"

"I don't even know!" she laughed, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling his face close to hers. Bolin flushed at the contact, but his arms circled her waist and brought her closer to him.

They continued to catch a breather for the next fifteen minutes, and upon letting the soreness of their muscles set in and the activities of the day catch up to them, they decided, quite reluctantly, that it was time to leave.

Using each other for support so they wouldn't fall over from their sore legs, they grinned widely at each other. They stumbled a few blocks before deciding to flag down a late-night taxi. It carried them back to the Pro-Bending arena, where Asami's motorcycle was waiting to be taken home.

As the taxi drove away, Asami stepped closer to the Bolin, her mind now cleared of the havoc and excitement of the dance club they had been in. Taking his hand and squeezing it, she admitted, "I had a lot of fun tonight, Bolin..."

At this, a new type of excitement beyond adrenaline rushed through the Earthbender's veins, but also a certain kind of stiffness, sadness. "Asami," he began, "I like you a lot. I've liked you for a long time now..."

"Same," she whispered, her face only inches from his. The Earthbender was about to open his mouth to say something, but instead, Asami's lips met his, and he didn't protest at the sensations they created. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her close, and they kissed for a few moments before separating.

Bolin felt his heart skip a beat at the look she gave him. It was intense, and it was sparking. She wanted something out of this date – he feared she might not have wanted to – just like he did. And he couldn't have been happier if he tried.

Taking both of her hands and intertwining their fingers, he breathed, "I want something with you, Asami. I... I know that our social statuses might keep us apart, but... I think we've got a chance, that we're... real, you know? I want _this _to happen between us."

Asami nodded, before the words registered in her mind and she blinked wildly at him. "What?"

He looked shocked and momentarily hurt. "I want to have a relationship with you...?"

"No, about our _social statuses_?"

Bolin blinked, and swallowed. "Yeah...?"

She blinked back at him, a sad tint in her eyes. His heart dropped, and he felt his breath hitch in his throat. Smiling at him, she said quietly, "Bolin, what makes you think that those have anything to do with _us_ being together?"

He turned away, his cheeks heating. "W-well, I—"

"No." She didn't let him answer. "Bolin, I don't care about our so-called social statuses. I really don't – all I care about is you in this. All that matters is how we feel about each other. My father likes you, and if the rest of the city can't accept us, well then it, doesn't matter. Only we do, to each other."

Bolin felt something explode inside of him. All of his foolishness from before didn't matter – he had worried piteously for nothing! It was like he secretly suspected and wanted – all that mattered were their feelings, nothing more, and nothing less. And he couldn't agree more with her statement.

Pulling her close again, his lips crashed against hers and it felt like a short, blissful eternity for the dizzied Earthbender. When they pulled apart, he held her hand and whispered uncertainly, but excitedly, "So... we're kind of... together now?"

"Not 'kind of', Bolin," she smiled genuinely, bright and white. "We _are_."

The pair hugged this time instead of kissing, holding the moment dear in their memories for later. This was something both wanted to remember. When they pulled back, they gave each other intense looks, before he pecked her lips gently again.

A few moments of innocent lip locks passed between the two, before they reluctantly parted. Asami kept looking back at him, a little out of breath from the entirety of the moment, as she made her way over to her motorcycle. Kicking her leg over the seat, she held the helmet in her hands and gave him one last smoldering look and an air kiss before fitting the device onto her head and starting up her engine and taking off.

Bolin stood there for a bit, swooning about in his own happy little world. Sighing dreamily, he stumbled back into the Pro-Bending arena and up to his apartment. When he arrived at the front door, he didn't hear any movement within their home, and so figured his brother was already asleep. Opening the door slowly and sneaking in quietly, he looked around and noticed an unfamiliar pile of clothes on the kitchen table. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he noticed the fur that surrounded their edges and identified them as Korra's.

His eyes moved from the table and the pile of the clothes to his brother's bed then, and surely enough, both snoring away softly, were his brother and the Avatar, cuddling closely in a tangle of warm sheets. He was about ready to use this as blackmail to goad his brother when he noticed that despite his earlier thoughts, Korra was still wearing the majority of her clothes. Bolin chuckled to himself – his brother was respectful enough not to go so far, as the younger boy knew he was, and the Earthbender figured they wouldn't have been able to have gotten too far considering the intensity of snores, signifying their deep sleep and their previous exhaustions.

Shaking his head, the Earthbender returned to his previous thoughts – when he would next see Asami, and how it would end up going... He cleaned up and dressed – or undressed, more so – as he thought, and with a wide smile on his face, he climbed into the bed beside his brother's, dozing off into an easy, pleasant slumber.

~P~

Mako looked around the gym, the area feeling empty without the rambunctious Avatar running amok. He sighed – he'd barely seen her since their date, and he didn't know why. That next morning, the pair had awoken and had breakfast together, careful not to wake up the snoring Bolin. Their morning was filled with gentle kisses, tender looks, and sheepish smiles. Eventually she had left to return to Air Temple Island, and he hadn't really seen her since. Sure, he'd seen her in between practices for a minute or two, but they hadn't really spoken.

The Firebender thought that their date had gone exceptionally well, considering neither had ever been on one before that. But if had gone so well, then why wasn't she talking to him? Once again, Mako's stupid pride was keeping him from talking to her first, and so he just sat around, waiting for them to exchange words, but one week later, she still hadn't – she wasn't even around to ignore him.

Sighing, Mako shook his head and pulled a hand through his hair. He was distracted, and his training wasn't going to go anywhere if he continued like this. Deciding to take a short break, the Firebender walked over to his brother, who was sitting against a wall and sipping at some water.

"Hey, bro," Bolin greeted his brother, clapping him on the back.

Mako nodded at him to acknowledge him, before breathing in deeply and relaxing against the wall, too. Biting his lip in his frustration at the fact that he could think of nothing else, he turned to Bolin and asked softly, "Have you, uh, seen Korra around? I want to talk to her, but she won't stand still for five seconds."

Bolin could see the slight disconcert in his brother's ochre eyes, and smiled, signifying he knew something that Mako didn't. Mako knew the grin all too well, having grown up with its mischief.

"Actually," Bolin crossed his arms, "she asked me to tell you to meet her upstairs after you were done."

Mako raised an eyebrow at his brother suspiciously. "Bolin," he warned, "what's going on? I don't want to be the butt of your stupid prank again."

Bolin laughed as a flood of memories of past pranks filled his head. Waving his hand, he smiled brightly at his older sibling. "Just go, Mako."

The Firebender gave him another look, eyes narrowed. Bolin easily challenged this, having years' worth of practice against his brother's broody stares. Eventually, Mako gave in to his brother's words, deciding that his want – need, almost – to speak to and see Korra overwhelmed the fact that he may be covered in water in a few minutes.

Wiping his brow, Mako removed his practicing gear and made his way to the apartment. Standing at the front door, he knocked at it slowly, and when he heard some frantic shuffling about the main room, he rapped at it again. A few silent seconds passed, before he heard Korra's voice yell, "Come in!"

Twisting the knob and entering the space, he saw the girl of his affections standing in front of the kitchen table, obscuring his view of an object covered by a sheet behind her. However, his attention didn't linger at the table for long – his amber irises quickly rested on Korra, and he smiled warmly at her, glad to see her after what seemed like too long.

"Hi," he spoke, and walked closer to her, holding an outstretched hand to her. Korra took his palm in hers and squeezed it, stepping closer to him.

"Well, hey."

The stood there, with each other, for a few seconds. "It's been a while, huh?" he joked, embracing her. "Or at least, feels like it." Korra nodded her head in the crook of his neck, taking in his scent. The Firebender debated on whether or not he wanted to question her on her recent absences from her life, but decided against it – they could talk over what it meant later – and so directed his attention to the sheet-covered object on the table.

Pointing at it and retreating from her, he asked, "What's that thing? And why did you want Bolin to send me up here?"

Korra blushed and smiled. "Actually, it's the reason I've been kind of... missing in action these past few days," she walked closer to it as she spoke, "and I just wanted to see you – I've missed you, too, you know."

Standing at the table then, she reached forward and removed the sheet, revealing the object underneath. "Tada!" A shiny, new, brassy-colored phonograph. Mako blinked at the beautiful music-making device – it must have cost a pretty penny.

Stepping forward, eyes wide, he inquired, "A phonograph? What it's doing here?"

Korra took his hand and placed it on the device. "It's yours, silly. I know you really liked your old one and, well, I wanted to get you a new one..."

Mako blinked rapidly again, his heart beating wildly. Korra had bought him it? He felt a warm feeling take over his entire being – but he could not accept this. It was too generous – and she'd probably used Tenzin's money to buy it. He _wouldn't _accept it. "Korra," he began sadly. As much as he wanted to refuse the gift, it was certainly nice and he had never owned his own phonograph. He shook his head. No. It had to go back. "I can't accept this. It's too expensive – that's got be nearly six hundred Yuan right there! That's ridiculous! And besides," he gave her a critical look, "how did you even afford this? Tenzin—"

Korra crossed her arms, pouting then, all signs of her earlier smile having vanished. "Jeez, a simple 'thank you, Korra' would have sufficed, you know," she grumbled. He was about to open his mouth to speak again, but Korra cut him off. "And for your information – I bought it with my own money, not Tenzin's. That's why I've been so absent from practice and your life this past week – I've been doing odd jobs for Toza to earn a little more money, okay? I thought it'd be a little more special than if I got Tenzin to buy it, and besides, I didn't want him to. And before you ask how I got nearly a thousand Yuan in a week, I had some winnings saved up from our matches." She stepped forward then, poking him in the chest. "And like hell I'm taking this back, Mako – it's a gift that I got for the guy I care about. It's something you accept and thank for, not request to send back within the first few seconds of receiving it! So get over yourself and allow yourself to be happy for once, okay?"

Mako blinked at her sudden rant, a mix of feelings running inside him. So she'd been earning money from Toza – that's why she had been gone? He felt his face go red out of embarrassment at his accusation, and rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, he turned away. Doing as she said, he got over his pride and spoke first. "I... I'm sorry," he admitted, his cheeks darkening with each word. "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that. I'm just..." He paused before continuing, "... not used to stuff like this."

Korra was still glaring to the side, her arms crossed, but she began to relax upon hearing his soft tone of voice – he wasn't going to argue with her like he normally would. She had won, but she didn't feel her regular smirk crawl onto her face. Instead, a small smile found its way there and she watched Mako.

He looked at her and she nodded at him, and he stepped forward, inspecting the fine piece of musical equipment. It had brassy, shining edges and was a dark mahogany color – brand new. And it was all his. At this, Mako allowed his initial, well-contained happiness come out and he turned to her, embracing her quickly and tightly.

Korra was a bit shocked by his sudden show of affection, but hugged him back after regaining her position.

"Thank you, Korra," he whispered into her ear, more grateful that he could possibly begin to convey. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." Mako wondered how he had come to deserve this woman in front of him – the phonograph was nice, sure, but she was the real prize in his life. And he'd do anything to keep her with him.

Korra smiled at him. "Now that's what I'm talking about!" Her smile softened then, and her tone changed, "but you're welcome. You deserve it, anyhow."

Pulling back, he spoke his next sentence with an air of confidence he didn't know he had. "You're the best girlfriend ever." As Mako felt the word leave his lips, he decided he liked the sound of it. He liked the status, but most of all, he loved the person who owned the status.

Korra froze out of shock, before looking up at him. Girlfriend? She was his girlfriend? She smiled goofily at this, approving. Then, as she looked into his deep, amber eyes, she saw for the first time in a long while, his smile met his eyes, and she knew it wasn't just because of the brand new phonograph she had gotten him – it was because of her, and this sent tingles down her spine. Her heart beat erratically in her chest and she breathed shakily, feeling her cheeks flush. Cheekily, to hide her unusual fluster, she said, "Why, 'cause I got you a new phonograph?"

"Nope," he answered quickly, grinning. "Because you're _you_. And you're here, with me. That's why."

Korra's blush intensified, and she looked to the side, feeling the flush make its way to her ears and down her neck. "Cheesy little git," she remarked under her breath, but in all truth, his words made her heart flutter girlishly. Gripping her arms, she then murmured, "Thank you, though." She looked up at him, and said more loudly, "You're turning out to be a pretty decent boyfriend, yourself. I think I'll keep you."

Mako leaned closer to her then, and despite knowing his next words were ridiculously cheesy, spoke them anyway. "That's a good idea, considering I don't plan on letting you go."

At this, the Avatar could take it no longer and wrapped her arms around the Firebender's neck and pulled his face down to meet hers. She missed the feel of his lips against her, and relished the feeling. Mako pulled her hips against his and held them steadfast, enjoying the kiss wholeheartedly. When they pulled away, Korra draped her arm on his shoulders lazily and smirking at him, said, "You know, you don't have an excuse not to dance with me anymore. You can play music now."

Mako grumbled a bit to feign unhappiness at this – but the truth was, he was even a bit elated at the prospect of dancing with Korra now. He may not be able to dance, but with music around, it was ten times more enjoyable for the Firebender.

"Well," Korra took his hand and intertwined their fingers then. "Care to test it out?" She motioned her head to the cupboard where she knew he kept his records, and he nodded at her, momentarily releasing her hand to retrieve one. Looking around his small collection, he pulled out his favourite one – Lost My Heart in Republic City. It was a folksy kind of song, and the record had once belonged to his parents – they told him it was _their _song. With a small smile, he wondered if it would one day be his and Korra's song, too.

Turning back to his girlfriend, he revealed the record to her and walked back over the phonograph. He placed the small record on the little disk bed, before placing the needle on it. Slowly, the record began to spin, and a sweet, simple melody played out of the brassy horn attached to the mechanism.

He turned back the woman before him, and saw her eyes were already closed and she was swaying involuntarily to the pretty tune. Smiling, he took her hand in his gloved one and pulled him to her. They were quiet as they swayed in sync with each other, and about halfway through the song, the young couple pulled back and placed their lips together again, holding the other close, glad to have each other by their side.

~P~

Bolin waited until his brother had left the gym before he let a sigh escape his mouth. It was meant for the girl in his life, and as though she had timed it, he saw a curly tress of dark hair move at the expansive entryway of the gym.

"Hi," he called to her, and she appeared to him, smiling brightly. Spirits, how he had missed that smile of hers! As she walked closer, he noticed her hair was wilder than usual, and she was smoothing back the mess of curls. He figured she had just arrived a few minutes before judging by the state of her helmet hair. He opened his arms to the non-bender, and she easily entered them.

Pecking him on the cheek, she pulled back and smiled again. "So, did you want to go out for a ride with me, boyfriend?" she asked eagerly.

Bolin loved the word that came from her lips – _boyfriend_. "Why, yes," he chuckled, "I would, girlfriend."

Asami laughed at his usage of the word, before kissing him again. "Afterwards, we could go out on a double date or something with Mako and Korra, maybe?"

Bolin smirked, thinking about his brother and the Avatar. Spirits knew what they were doing up in that apartment of theirs. "I don't think they'll be up for it tonight, Asami. I think they may already have plans." He jutted his thumb up to the roof then, grinning cheekily.

Asami crossed her arms and snickered, before stepping closer to Bolin again and taking the fabric of his shirt in her hands. "That's okay," she purred, "we can always make our own, too." Her dark irises were intense, and Bolin could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest.

Asami's lips were close to the Earthbender's, but just as he leaned in and pursed his to kiss her, she pulled away teasingly and tapped him on the nose.

Bolin scrunched up his cute nose childishly, and she giggled, her voice like a chiming bell in his ears, before pulling back and walking back a few feet. "So, you're just going to get a bit cleaned up and then we can go?" Bolin nodded, and she returned the action. Turning to the entrance again, she said, "I'll meet you out there, then, okay?"

"'Kay," he waved at her, and made his way to the direction of the change room. He turned one last time to look at his new girlfriend, and he saw her bite her lip adorably. Feeling his eyes on her, she turned and blew him a kiss, her cheeks just slightly rosy.

He smiled at her, which she returned before turning around and exiting the building. As the Earthbender entered the change room, he decided easily that he was probably – no, certifiably – half way in love with the non-bender already, and he knew – for a fact – that it wouldn't be all too difficult to fall the second half of the way for her.

~P~

**Author's Notes:** Fwaaagh – took too long! Two people on deviantart suggested I continue "Strategies" and I agreed – and it, again, took too long for me to do. I like having a concise plot down going into a story, and I didn't really have one at first for this one. But a little thinking helped that – but then I was all unmotivated at the start, but then as I got a quarter or so in, I got a little more inspiration for this and was going at it like a speed demon. But still – NOT FAST ENOUGH. I'm just glad I got this done in a week, haha.

"Lost My Heart in Republic City" is actually a LoK track, too, and it's soooo pretty. So I decided to use it in the story! Also, I'm kind of assuming Tahno's a Firebender, even though we don't know. The dude's creepy as hell... but his voice. Lord... I LOVE IT.

Well... bye now!


End file.
